married, and on which circumstance was founded the play of "The Widow of Cornhill ;" or, "a Woman never Vext."

FORE STREET.

This street was so denominated, because it was the first street built without the walls of Cripplegate. The present street was built in 1761.

FISH-STREET HILL.

This hill or street is thus denominated from its originally being principally occupied by dealers in dried or salt fish. Here stands the Monument erected to commemorate the great fire of London.

66

FLEET STREET.

This street, Fleet market, and the Fleet prison, all derive their name from a small river or ditch, called the Fleet from its rapidity, which flowed up from the Thames. It was at length arched over, and New Bridge-street and Fleet market formed thereon. Friday, September 30, 1737, the stalls, &c., in Stock's market (now where the Mansion-house stands) being pulled down, the Lord Mayor proclaimed Fleet market as a free market." This was removed to the west of its old site in November 1826, and is now called Farringdon Market; and the site of the old one is now Farringdon Street.

FENCHURCH STREET.

This locality was formerly denominated Fenny-a-bout, from being a very marshy situation. There were several brooks or bournes also, which emptied themselves into the Thames.

GOODMAN'S FIELDS.

Mansel, Prescott, Leman, and Ayliffe Streets, with a few smaller streets and courts in the vicinity, comprise what is called Goodman's Fields. Stow writes, that he remembers it a farm belonging to the Minoresses* of St. Clare, who gave a name to the neighbouring street called the Minories. "At which farme," says Stow, "I myself, in my youth, have fetched many a halfpennie worth of milke, and never had less than three ale pints for a halfpennie in the summer, nor less than one ale quart in the wintre, always hot from the kine, as the same was milked and strained." One Trollop, and afterwards Goodman, were the farmers there; the latter, having purchased the farm and fields, so increased his property, that he had thirty or forty cows for

*See Minories.

milking. Farmer Goodman's son afterwards letting out the ground for grazing horses, and for gardens, the name of Goodman's farm was entirely lost in that of Goodman's Fields, which it retains notwithstanding all the changes it has undergone.

The backs of the houses of the four streets above named, form a large square called the Tenter Ground, having formerly been used by a dyer; it was afterwards converted into a handsome garden, in which state it continued until the idle threat of invasion set the whole country marching and countermarching. Harnessed and armed, big with valorous loyalty, the garden of the Tenter Ground became the field of Mars, and the spring and summer flowers yielded to the flowers of chivalry.

GREAT WARDROBE STREET.

This street takes its name from the royal mansion called the Great Wardrobe, which formerly stood in Wardrobe-Coat, Great Carter Lane.

GREEN PARK.

This park receives its appellation simply from its verdure continuing green throughout the year, numbers of springs being on the spot. It was once much larger than it is at the present time, George III. having reduced it in 1767, to enlarge the gardens of Old Buckingham House.

GERARD-STREET.

The name of this street is derived from Gerard House, the residence of Gerard, the gallant Earl of Macclesfield. It was built about 1681.

GOLDEN SQUARE.

Pennant says, Golden Square was formerly Gelding Square, from the sign of a neighbouring inn; but the inhabitants, indignant at the vulgarity of the name, changed it to the present. Mr. Cunningham, however, in his Hand-Book of London, shows it to have been called The Golden Square as early as 1688.

GILTSPUR STREET.

This way towards Smithfield was anciently called Gilt-Spurre street, because of the knights, who, in quality of their honour, wore Gilt Spurs, and who rode that way to the tournaments, joustings, and other feats of arms used in Smithfield.

GRACECHURCH STREET.

By referring to Stow, or looking into any of the old accounts of London, it will be found that this was a Grass Market, and

which in course of time was called Gracious Street, and ultimately Gracechurch Street.

GARLIC HILL.

This locality derives its name from the Garlic market being originally in the vicinity.

HATTON GARDEN.

This locality derives its name from Sir Christopher Hatton, Lord Chancellor in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, and Christopher Hatton, his godson, created Baron Hatton of Kirby, in the county of Northampton.

HOUNDSDITCH.

Houndsditch was formerly a filthy ditch, into which was thrown dead dogs and all manner of filth-hence its present name. Into it was thrown a worthy deserving of no better sepulture, Edric, the murderer of his master, Edmund Ironside, after having been drawn by his heels from Baynard's castle, and tormented to death by flaming torches.

HOLBORN.

Holborn, originally called Old-bourne, from its standing on a brook. A bourne signifies a brook, and is a common termination of English towns and streets. This street was the first in London that was paved; this was in the year 1417, by order of Henry IV.

HUNGERFORD STAIRS, MARKET, &c.

Hungerford Stairs, &c., so called from the Earls of Hungerford having a palace near to the river Thames. Formerly there was a series of palaces in a line with the Strand; commencing with the Earl of Northumberland's, and terminating with that of the Earl of Essex in Essex-street. Hungerford Suspension Bridge was constructed by Mr. I. K. Brunel, and opened April 18, 1845.

HOLYWELL STREET.

Holy Well-street, or, as it is called, Holywell Street, in the Strand, derives its name from a well in a baker's yard, and which was denominated Holy Well from the miraculous cures that it is said to have wrought.

HYDE PARK.

So called from Hyde, Lord Clarendon, whose daughter married James, Duke of York, afterwards James II.; from which circumstance the said park became crown property.

HACKNEY.

This village was anciently celebrated for the numerous seats of the nobility and gentry, which occasioned, says Maitland, a mighty resort thither of persons of all conditions from the city of London; whereby so great a number of horses were hired in the city on that account, that they were called Hackney or Hack horses, and, from the number of them employed to go to this neighbourhood, in process of time gave a name to this locality.

HORSLEYDOWN.

Many derivations are traced to, or take their name from, the merry reign of Charles II. It was one of his amours which gave rise, it is said, to the cognomen of Horsleydown. Below Rederiffe lived a miller, who had a pretty wife, and whom, when the miller was absent, our amorous monarch, disguised as a student at law, was wont to wanton with. On one occasion, however, the miller came unawares upon them, when his majesty with some little difficulty made his escape, and mounting his horse, which with an attendant was at a little distance, fled as fast as "Tam O'Shanter!" He had not proceeded far, however, before his horse fell down, when the miller coming up gave his incog. majesty a good drubbing, which circumstance, it is added, gave that locality the name of Horsleydown. Another writer says "The tale of Charles and the miller is a very pleasant one," but adds, "it is more probable the site of this parish was anciently a grazing ground, and therefore denominated Horse-down, now corruptly Horsleydown.

ISLINGTON.

The name of this village has been fancifully derived from two Saxon appellations, viz.-Gisel, an hostage or pledge, and dun ortun, a town. In ancient records it is called Isendune, Isendon, Iseldon, and Isleton, meaning the Lower Town, or Fort, from Ishel, lower, and Dun, town or fortress. The present name was adopted in the sixteenth century.

ISLE OF DOGS.

Stow says, this place derives its name from the King's hounds formerly being kept here, where were the royal kennels. It was originally called Poplar Marsh.

JEWIN STREET.

This street derives its name from the first Jewish cemetery being here; and the only one, says Maitland, for the sepulture of that nation from all parts of England till the year 1777, when,

by an indefatigable application to parliament, it was enacted that they should have burial-grounds in any part where they resided.

KNIGHT-RIDER STREET.

This street is thus named, in consequence of it being the road by which the Knights passed to the tournaments and joustings, which were held at Baynard's castle in the reign of King John.

LITTLE BRITAIN.

Stow, speaking of Little Britain, says: "Where the kings of Scotland used to be lodged, between Charing Cross and Whitehall, is likewise called Scotland; and where the Earls of Britain were lodged, without Aldersgate, the street is called Britain Street.”

LAMB'S CONDUIT STREET.

This term is derived from William Lambe, gentleman and clothworker, who, in 1577, built a water conduit at Holborn Cross. The conduit was taken down in 1746.

LEADENHALL STREET.

This street derives its name from Leadenhall, which stood on the site of the skin market. In 1445, it was converted into a granary for the city, by Simon Eyre, draper, and mayor of London. It appears to have obtained its name from its being covered with lead, then an unusual roofing.

LUDGATE STREET.

66 "This street," says an ingenious writer, "derives its name from Lud, son of Bilenus, king of Britain." Maitland, however, says "This gate is denominated Fludgate, from a rivulet below it, where Fleetditch now is. I am apt to think, however, it should rather be Fleetgate, from the Saxon flod, vloet, Fleote, or Fleet, which imply a small navigable water-course, such as the Fleet rivulet has probably been from the original London."

LONDON WALL.

London Wall explains its own etymology. Within these few years there was a long tract of the old wall of London standing in the locality now so named, of which a few fragments now remain at the back of Cripplegate Church, as well as in Warwick Court, Fleet Street.

LONG-ACRE.

This street was originally a piece of ground called Seven Acres, from whence came the present name.